Page 644 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 22 February 2012

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Question put:

That Ms Burch’s amendments be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 11		Noes 6
Mr Barr	Mr Hargreaves	Mr Coe	Mr Smyth
Dr Bourke	Ms Hunter	Mr Doszpot
Ms Bresnan	Ms Le Couteur	Mrs Dunne
Ms Burch	Ms Porter	Mr Hanson
Mr Corbell	Mr Rattenbury	Mr Seselja
Ms Gallagher

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: The question is that the motion, as amended, be agreed to.

MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (4.00): Much has been said today and I am sure the public will read the words that have been said in this place today and will scratch their heads. If we are ever accused of being the house of double standards, it will rest on the debate that has just occurred.

I want to go to what Ms Burch said. She calls it a distraction. She says, “I always defend—my door is always open to—the community council.” But she will not defend them. She will not stand up for them. She talks about honesty, respect and openness. But where is the honesty and the respect for the Tuggeranong Community Council in this?

Much has been said about Mrs Dunne’s comment about allowing Mr Hargreaves more time. It is called irony: it is about giving somebody enough rope—and I am sure with more rope he would have hung himself even higher. Ms Burch said, “I want to talk about double standards,” and quoted two examples. Neither of the examples quoted occurred in this place. If members want to say stuff outside, if Mr Hargreaves wants to go and repeat outside what he said, that is his problem. What this is about is this place and it is about the lack of standards that those opposite are now voting for.

Ms Burch talked about putting things right. But we cannot without this motion. Then of course we had “I absolutely condone the double standard”. Apparently you do. Perhaps it is a little Freudian—I notice you attempted to correct it—but you absolutely do condone the double standard. This motion is not about Mr Johnston; it is actually about this place. This motion is not about the Tuggeranong Community Council; it is actually about this place.

I have spoken to Mr Johnston. I have spoken with him several times. I have even met with him. Ms Bresnan will tell you that at a public meeting—that perhaps you should have attended on Thursday night as a representative of Brindabella—I spoke with

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